Convertible chair.



JAMES HENRY TANN, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Application tiled November 1, 1910. Serial No. 590,132.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, .lamas ll. 'l`.\.\x\. a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful liiipi'o\'e1neiits in Convertible. Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

Yprisinle,r two hinged sections.

This invention has for its object to' provide a novel and improved chair attachment whereby a rocking chair may he readily eonverted into an ordinary chair, and vire versa7 the attachment comprising a pair of rockers which are so constructed and mounted on the. legs of the chair that they may he `folded into inoperative position, each .rocker eoni- 'The invention' also has for its object to' provide -a simpleand efficient lock for the rocker sections; and 4also to provide aconneetion between the rockers and the chair :legs which enables the attachment to be readidly applied to any ordina'ryeluir.l

ln order thatthe invention may he better understood, 'reference is had to the accompanying drawing and the detailed description appearing?lr hereinafter.

In the draiving-Figiire 1 is aside elcvation of the chair arranged as a rocking chair4 Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the chair arranged as an ordinary chair.- Fig'. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Figxft is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. l

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes an ordinary chair having legs 6.

` Each rocker is divided transversely intermediate its ends to form two sections, said rocker sections being indicated at 7 and ,8, respectively. The rocker sections 7 are connected to the' front legs of the chair, and the rocker sections 8 are connected to the rear legs. The connection between the rocker sections is made by a hinge. 9 which is so located that the adjacent ends of the sections may be swung upwardly as shown in Fig. 2, thus removing the rocker sections from the Iloor and converting the rocking chair into an .ordinary chair.

For the purpose of holding the rocker sections in alinement, there is provided a. lockl comprising members 10 and 12. The mem bei' 1() is a lcxihlc strip which is fastened at one of its ends to the top edge. of the section 7 adjacent to its hinged` end, and said strip has at. its free'end an aperture 11.

The member 12 is fastenedat .one of its ends to the top of the rocker section 8, adjacent to the hinged end of theV latter; andthe free'end of said member has a lug 13 whi'clisis 'adapt'- ed to enter the aperture 11. Tliefettre`r`ities of the lng 13 andthe free en d of th'estrip 10 are beveled so that` said -parts may-:au-

tomatically come into locking positionivhen the rocker sections arejspread-'and ialinedt Upon placingthe rocker sections in this-ipo.

sitipn, tliefree end of the 4strip 10 snaps over the lug. 13 and ture11;

A. device isA provided for unlocking the members 10 and 412, said device'eomprising a hand lever 13 which is pivoted` to the rocker section S. and-has on one `sideV a.- -projecting finger'lbwhich is, adnpted.to:.en

the latter -enterstlie apergage the' 'strip l 1()V when 4the hand. lever. .,=is""l"5 swung forwardly, to press -said strip downwardlylso -as 4to disengage theisame from thel'ng L1,3,.'ifterwhich :the-.hand lev'er Fig. 2. Y

The rocker section 7 is secured to .the

may beei'nployed for pullingthe `ifoelgersee tions upwardly`A into the position shown-- .in 8'() front chair leg by means of e band 14, which eneircles the front end of said section, and is pivotally connected, by meansof a pin 15 to a tube 16 into which the lower end of thel is inserted, said tube and leg being locat on the inside of the rocker section. The chair leg is adjustably lield'in the tube by means of a set screw 17 passing 1through im aperture 18 in the' tube, and engageable with the leg. The band 14 is rigidl secured to the rocker section 7, and thus eldagainst longitudinal movement thereon.. l

The rocker section 8 is connected to the 'rear leg of the chair by means of a. Bend 19' encircling said rocker section, and pivotally connected to a tube 20 which receives the lower'end of said leg in the same'manner as the tube 16, said band 19an`d tube 20 beingalso pivotally connected, and Vthe'leg'being adjnstably held within the tube by a set screw inthe same manner as the front leg of the chair. to the rocker section 8` but is free to slide back and forth thereon in order that the rocker sections may be 'f olded. jt the rear end of the rocker sectonS is a. pin or other suitable device 21 forv preventing the bend 19 from slipping off said end of the 'rocker section. l

Fig. 1 of the drawing shows the parts er#4 The band 1 9 is not made fast im" v ranged for a rocking chair, the rocker sections being swung 1n alincment, and held in this position by the locking device described. To convert the rocking' chair into an ordinary chair, the rocker sections are unlocked, and their hinged ends are swungr upwardly tothe position shown in Fig. 2, the pivotal connection between the bands and the vtubes permitting this swinging movement to take place. Upon swinging the rocker section into this position, the rear section 8 slides forwardly in the band 19, so lthat the bottomof the tube 2O may come in contact with the floor, said tube forming a continuation of the rear leg of the chair. The band 414e is so positioned on the rocker section 7 that when said section is swung upwardly, the lower end of (lie tube 1G comes in contact with the floor, 'said tube forming a 0 continuation of the front'leg of the chair.

:The change from one p'o'sitio'nto the other can be quickly made` and when the parts are Aarranged as a rocking-chair; the rocker sections are firmly heldin alined position by the locking' device described* The attachment may be applied to -any ordinary chair Ahaving four legs,. and no specially con; structed chair' is necessary. The chair may ialso be raised 1or lowered by reason of the adjustable connection between the chair legs and the vtubes 16 and 20.

` I have described and shown only one of' intermediate their ends to form two sections, a pivotal connection between the sections, bands encircling the rocker sections, said bands being pivotally connected to the chair legs, the band of one of said sections being loose thereon to permit said section to slide lengthwise through said band, and means for locking therocker sections in alined posi tion.

2. The combination .with a chair, of rockers mounted on the legs thereof, said rockeis bein;r in folding Sections adjustable into inoperative' position, means for holding the rocker sections in operatiw position, said holding means comprising a latch carried by one of the rocker sections, and a keeper for the latch carried by the other rocker section,

and means carried by one of the rocker sections for disengaging the latch from its keeper.

3. The combination with a chair, of rockers mounted on the legs thereof` said rockers being .in folding sections adjustable into in'- operative position,' means for holding the rocker sections in operative position, said holding means comprising a latch carried by one of the rocker sections, an the latch carried by the otherrrock'er section, and a lever pivoted to one of the rocker setions, and having z. projecting finger adapted to engage the latchi'for disengag'ing the latter from its keeper.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oi two witnesses.

JAMES HENRY TANN.

Witnesses:

DAVID ALEXANDER TANN, lBERTHA WADDIE.

a, keeper for 

